Up, Down, Up, Down

Okay, to begin, Friday to Tuesday record of exercise (since I missed posting earlier):

Friday: physio, strength exercises, 6.5km run
Saturday: strength exercises
Sunday: strength exercises, 7km run
Monday: swim 2800m
Tuesday: spin 1 hr, run 7km
Wednesday: run 7.5km, physio and strength exercises
Thursday: spin and kettlebell class, strength exercises
Friday: run 7.5km (34 minutes)
Saturday: played soccer with my kids
Sunday: 25 minute trail running within a 90 minute hike, strength exercises
Monday: NOTHING
Tuesday: spin 1 hr

:::

So here's the physio scoop. When I saw her last week on Wednesday, she gave me a small set of strengthening exercises to continue working on, almost all core exercises with one glute exercise too. And she said she wouldn't need to see me for a few weeks, so I arranged to see her before seeing the sports doctor, which is at the end of this month. She will do a running assessment at that time. When I asked about long, slow runs, she said they would be at a lower cadence. But down the road, as my fitness improves again, I might be running my long slow runs at a pretty fast cadence. It's all relative.

I had an awesome run on Friday afternoon. I kept getting faster with each passing kilometre, and my GPS watch was working. At each kilometre, the watch shows me how fast my pace was for the last kilometre. I did one kilometre lap in 4:38, which is fast for me. I felt no pain, just felt like it was really hard work. Really really hard to keep my feet moving at that quick cadence.

I don't feel in terrific shape. This morning's spin class felt tough, much tougher than it seemed it ought to. I think, however, that I was feeling the after-effects of the trail running I did on the weekend. I rolled my ankle several times on that run, and after the last time it really hurt. I probably should have iced it. It was very stiff yesterday, and is still fairly painful today. I was feeling it during spin, not agonizing pain or anything, just discomfort. But I was also feeling my calves on both legs. I must have been using them on the hike, perhaps more than I should have--seems like my glutes should have been working harder than my calves.

It's a new week, but I've got a kid home sick, and it doesn't feel like a new week yet. And I don't have that it's a new week energy either. Sometimes it's all about hanging in and getting through, and sticking with the plan. Haven't decided whether or not I should run this evening. But I definitely need to do my strength exercises. Definitely. I felt a bit lost without a weekly visit scheduled with my physio--I think that was keeping me honest re the exercises. Now I have to keep myself honest.

Have not been to yoga in way too long. Missed this Monday for an Easter dinner, and last Monday because we had a complicated food pickup. My body is missing that stretching, that's for sure.